Most common mistakes to avoid when data cabling

Data cabling is quite a tricky venture, and making mistakes is very easy. Even technicians are sometimes faced with situations that lead them into errors. Data cabling mistakes are not worth learning the hard way, particularly if you're running a business with a large number of customers. Such mistakes can be really costly for you, and you may lose yourself a large number of clients. If you're laying down data cables, the here are some common mistakes that you may want to avoid at any time.

Running cables parallel to electrics

Data cables have a twisted pair of wires that produce some quantities of magnetic field energy. This kind of cabling is known as UTP (unshielded twisted pairs), and they've got a small voltage that passes through them. Running this kind of cables with electrical wiring causes the electrical wires to interfere with the transmission in the data cables. The result is a distorted signal that will be noisy and not as good as it should be.

If you have to lay the cables near the electrical wiring, then make them run perpendicularly to the electrical lines. That way, the electrical wiring won't interfere with the signal.

Ignoring cable management

Cable management involves installing equipment to secure your cables. It keeps the cables organised and makes it a lot easier for troubleshooting, maintenance and upgrades to be done. Imagine trying to track down a problem in a mass of severely disorganized wires spread out all over. Also include colour coding and labelling to make the maintenance of the cables easier.

Ignoring the laws

Failure to follow the local codes can lead you into making really huge mistakes. It not only puts you in risk of being arrested but also endangers your personnel. Some laws are meant to protect against any dangers, and they vary across states. Some states for instance, don't allow the installation of PVC jacketed cabling. This is mainly because these kinds of cables produce toxic fumes when they burn. That will endanger the people who may try to extinguish a fire in the building.

Lacking backup options

When moving to a different communication system for your business, you need to plan for emergencies that may occur due to incompatibility issues. If you're installing VoIP, there may be instances of unsteady communication when using equipment such as Faxes. Have a backup line that would come in handy when it comes to such situations so as to keep your business running smoothly.

For the best results, work with an experienced cabling company like One Step Ahead Communications.